Chapter 99: Buy One Get One Free, Two Gifts!

Mariejois

In the grand chambers of Mariejois, the Five Elders gathered, their expressions darkening as they reviewed the latest report from their subordinates. The contents of the report were troubling, to say the least—it involved both the Celestial Dragons and Lucas.

The Celestial Dragons were the face of the World Government, the symbol of its supreme authority. Lucas, on the other hand, was the very embodiment of the threat the World Government most dreaded confronting.

It wasn't just Lucas who feared the might of the World Government—the feeling was mutual.

The Saint Shepherd Ju Peter scowled. "Which idiot thought it was a good idea to head to the Golden City? This is going to cause us no end of trouble!"

Saint Topman Warcury spoke gravely. "Pointing fingers now won't help. What we need to focus on is how to deal with Lucas."

Saint Jaygarcia Saturn leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "I don't think we should provoke a large-scale conflict with Lucas at this time. He's far too mysterious—we don't even know the full extent of his abilities."

Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Maybe we could beat him, but unless he's suicidal, we won't be able to kill him. And that would be a disaster."

Lucas's known abilities—his Float-Float Fruit powers, his use of clones, and even space manipulation—had already made him virtually untouchable. The Five Elders, seasoned leaders of the World Government, knew that an enemy like Lucas had to be eliminated in one decisive blow. Anything less would unleash chaos.

Saint Marcus Mars spoke slowly, his voice measured. "If we're not confident in killing Lucas outright, we shouldn't engage him directly. Even if we crush his power base, we'd only be inviting trouble."

Power.

It was both Lucas's greatest weapon and his potential downfall. The same could be said for the World Government.

If the World Government didn't have to safeguard its vast territories and could mobilize all its top powerhouses—perhaps even activate the Ancient Weapons—there wouldn't be a force in the world capable of opposing them.

But Lucas? If his power base was destroyed, he'd become even more dangerous. An elusive, near-invincible individual with nothing to lose could turn the World Government's leaders into targets, one by one, until they were forced into hiding like endangered animals.

Saint Shepherd Ju Peter pondered this for a moment before suggesting, "In that case, how about negotiating? If we can pacify him, even if it costs us something, it's worth it."

The other Elders nodded in agreement.

Pacifying pirates wasn't new to the World Government—they were quite adept at it.

After all, wasn't that how they'd handled the Four Emperors? The Yonko had established semi-autonomous territories in the New World, maintaining an uneasy peace with the World Government for over a decade. To think that no backroom deals had taken place between them would be naive.

As for whether this strategy would backfire, the World Government wasn't concerned. Unlike the Yonko, whose entire empires were built around their personal strength, the World Government's foundation was institutional.

If a Yonko fell, their pirate crew would crumble. But if a Fleet Admiral or even one of the Five Elders died, the World Government would remain steadfast, with new leaders rising to fill the void.

This institutional resilience gave the Five Elders an unshakeable sense of superiority.

They remembered well—Whitebeard's pirate crew had once been one of the most formidable forces in the world. But when Whitebeard died, his empire collapsed overnight. Now, even the remnants of his crew had fallen under Lucas's influence.

Golden City

Meanwhile, in the opulent halls of the Golden City, Lucas was enjoying himself.

"How is my luck this good? It's unbelievable!"

Pudding stared at her hand in disbelief. She hadn't lost a single game since stepping into the casino.

Lucas chuckled, glancing sideways at Baccarat with a knowing smile. "That's because someone's been giving you a little… extra luck."

Baccarat froze for a moment, her polite smile faltering as she processed Lucas's words. How does he know about my ability?

Pudding blinked in confusion. "Someone gave me luck?"

Lucas nodded, his gaze still fixed on Baccarat. "I have to say, I'm impressed. Not only can you absorb other people's luck to boost your own, but you can also transfer that luck to others. I'd guess Tesoro's smooth sailing all these years is largely thanks to you."

Pudding and Galette stared at Baccarat in surprise.

Seeing no point in denying it, Baccarat smiled gracefully. "I'm a Paramecia-type Lucky-Lucky Fruit user. I can absorb luck from others and redistribute it as I please."

Pudding's eyes widened in realization. "No wonder we've been so lucky today! You've been giving us your luck!"

Baccarat laughed lightly. "Of course. We want our guests to have the best experience here."

At that moment, a peculiar figure emerged from the ground beside them. He resembled a giant tadpole, his odd appearance matched by a wide grin.

"I am Mr. Tanaka, a subordinate of Lord Tesoro," he introduced himself with a bow. "I've been instructed to deliver a message to Lord Lucas."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Mr. Tanaka's grin widened. "We've located the members of Germa 66. If you wish to deal with them, we are prepared to assist."

Lucas chuckled softly. "How thoughtful."

He didn't refuse the offer. Germa 66 was one of his targets, after all. And if his first prey wanted to help him capture his second, who was he to argue?

Golden City – Inside a Luxurious Room

Elsewhere in the Golden City, Ichiji and Niji sat quietly in a lavish room, waiting for orders from their father, Vinsmoke Judge.

The door creaked open, and two more figures entered—a girl clad in a pink combat uniform and a boy wearing green.

They are the eldest daughter of the Vinsmoke family, Reiju, and the fourth son, Yonji. Together, they formed another squad of Germa 66.

Germa 66 had three active squads operating outside their homeland.

Vinsmoke Judge, the patriarch and king, led a team consisting of the kingdom's core military force, focusing on strategic command.

Ichiji and Niji, the first and second sons, formed one of the main combat teams.

Reiju and Yonji, the eldest daughter and fourth son, comprised the other, equally formidable fighting team.

As soon as Yonji entered the room, he flashed a cocky grin at Ichiji and Niji. "Ah, looks like you two got lucky and made it back alive. I heard Lucas's territory was swarming with enemies. Everyone who went there didn't come back!"

Ichiji scoffed, his voice cold and arrogant. "Don't be stupid. There's no way we'd fail a mission like that. We're Germa's finest creations!"

Reiju raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Did you run into any trouble?"

Niji waved her off casually. "We crossed paths with Jinbei, the former Warlord of the Sea. We had a decent fight. He's strong, even without technological enhancements, but he couldn't hold us down."

Yonji huffed, disappointed. "Jinbei? Man, you're lucky to face someone like that. All I've done lately is lead soldiers to wipe out trash."

Ichiji turned his gaze toward the door. "Is Father here yet? We were supposed to meet here."

Reiju shook her head, her expression calm. "Father won't be coming. I've already collected our payment."

The Golden City, with its strict no-fighting policy, had become a hub for underground merchants. It was the perfect place for shady deals, offering safety from both double-crossing partners and Marine crackdowns.

More importantly, Gild Tesoro, who controlled one-fifth of the world's Bailey, served as a de facto underground banker. Many illegal transactions funneled their payments through the Golden City, ensuring a neutral third party oversaw the exchanges.

Germa 66's latest deal had been no exception.

Ichiji frowned. "Why isn't Father coming?"

Reiju sighed. "He's secured a deal with the Big Mom Pirates. He's on his way to Totto Land now. And we're expected to join him soon."

Ichiji stood abruptly. "If that's the case, let's move."

Though the Golden City was impressive, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji were devoid of normal human emotions. Extravagant sights held no interest for them.

Just as they prepared to leave, a calm voice echoed through the room.

"So Judge isn't here? What a shame."

The door creaked open, and Lucas strolled in with the Charlotte sisters at his side.

"Lucas?!"

Reiju and her brothers stiffened, their faces shifting from surprise to grim realization. They instantly fell into defensive stances, eyes narrowing as they assessed the threat in front of them.

Lucas chuckled, his gaze flickering between Ichiji and Niji before settling on Reiju and Yonji. "Ah, so you're the ones who caused trouble on my turf? Not bad." He smiled slyly. "And lucky me, looks like I'm getting two extra gifts today—buy one, get one free."

Ichiji and Niji's expressions darkened. They had never imagined Lucas would track them down here. And now, not only were they cornered, but Reiju and Yonji were dragged into the mess as well.

Reiju, trying to project confidence, spoke up. "Lucas, this is the Golden City. It's a demilitarized zone recognized by the World Government, the underground world, and the Pirate Emperors. Fighting isn't allowed here. Are you really prepared to offend all of them at once?"

Reiju hoped invoking the Golden City's neutrality would make Lucas reconsider. But she was too naive.

Suddenly, Mr. Tanaka emerged from the floor, his face blank as he delivered his message.

"Lord Tesoro has stated that Germa 66 isn't protected under the Golden City's neutrality agreements."

Reiju's heart sank, and a bitter smile crept onto her lips.

Of course.

While the Golden City's reputation was important, it paled in comparison to the threat Lucas posed. If protecting that reputation meant crossing Lucas, Tesoro would abandon it without hesitation. Even the World Government and the Pirate Emperors, despite their dealings with Tesoro, wouldn't step in to protect him from Lucas.

"Reiju, enough talking!"

Yonji, hot-headed and impulsive, roared as he charged toward Lucas. "Let's show him what Germa's technology can do!"

With a resigned sigh, Reiju followed, alongside Ichiji and Niji. The four of them surrounded Lucas, ready to strike.

Lucas smiled coolly, unbothered by their aggression. "Germa's technology, huh? Let's see what you've got."

With a flick of his wrist, Lucas activated his Gold-Gold Fruit ability. The gold within the walls of the room liquefied, swirling around him like a protective barrier.

"A building made entirely of gold," Lucas mused, "makes using the Gold-Gold Fruit way too convenient."

As Yonji lunged, Lucas casually formed a golden shield. The fluid gold wrapped around Yonji's arm like quicksand, neutralizing the force behind his punch with ease.

"Sparking Red!"

"Dengeki Blue!"

"Poison Pink!"

"Winch Green!"

Reiju, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji unleashed their full arsenal, combining fire, electricity, poison, and mechanical force in a relentless assault.

But Lucas remained calm. The liquid gold flowed around him like a living entity, effortlessly deflecting each attack. Every strike was absorbed, dissipated, or redirected, as if the room itself had turned against them.

Lucas chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. "Is that all Germa technology has to offer?"

In the Chat Group

Howard Stark's voice buzzed in, intrigued.

Howard Stark: "So this is Germa's technology? Fascinating. The combat suits they're wearing are impressive. I'd love to get my hands on them for research."

Pirate King Roger: "Flames, poison, lightning—abilities you'd expect from Devil Fruits, but all done with tech? That's pretty wild!"

Lucas : "Howard, keep in mind—it's not just mechanical tech. Their suits incorporate a ton of biotech as well."

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